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New York Auto Show: Fisker Tramonto Convertible

Danish designer Henrik Fisker — the man behind the BMW Z07 concept car, the BMW Z8, the Shelby GR1, the Aston Martin DB9, and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage — has a brand new bag: the Fisker Tramonto, built on a Mercedes SL65 chassis and equipped with Mercedes controls. The 610-horsepower engine takes this two-seater from 0 to 60 in just 3.6 seconds — not the worst way to wake up, especially if you’re headed up the Pacific Coast Highway with the top down.

The Tramonto is the first oeuvre from Fisker Coachbuild, which Fisker started with automotive designer Bernhard Koehler to design and manufacture exclusive sports cars without enduring the indignities of focus groups, marketing data, and concept-to-production compromises. (Shades of The Fountainhead…) Of course, at $369,500, you may have to compromise with your landlord to afford it.

While the armed man pictured next to the Spyker C8 LaViolette emphatically declined my request for a test drive, young Adam Weinstein of Manhattan Motorcars — who knows from motorcars, believe you me — was kind enough to snap a few additional photos for me from behind the look-but-don’t-touch barrier. I’m pretty sure Adam isn’t old enough to vote (he may not even be old enough to shave), but he can sell me a car any day of the week. Adam’s shots of the Tramonto appear after the flip.